Japan's colossal doujinshi event, Comic Market (C106, aka Comiket), is gearing up for August 16-17, 2025, with both eager fans and aspiring creators buzzing with anticipation.
But a recent booth lottery announcement has thrown a wrench into the excitement, sparking a fiery debate on X (formerly Twitter). Some Japanese artists are fuming, claiming it's unfair that creators using AI art are snagging coveted Comiket booths while traditional hand-drawn artists get rejected. This hot topic instantly went viral, making the legitimacy of AI art at Comiket the core of the conversation.
The artist who ignited this whole kerfuffle is Urananoko (@ura_nasa). She vented her frustration online, questioning why AI-generated art creators are getting Comiket spots when her own hand-drawn works were denied, and her post quickly went viral.
Naturally, many netizens quickly jumped in, arguing that Comiket should outright ban AI art creators from setting up booths. However, implementing such a system would be a logistical nightmare for the organizers, requiring immense manpower and time for vetting.
One Japanese netizen living in Milan pointed out that AI participation in art exhibitions there is explicitly forbidden. They recounted how a major doujinshi event previously attempted an "AI-only zone" to rake in cash, only to face such a massive backlash from creators that the entire plan was scrapped. While a few commercial booths might still sell AI-generated works, it's a rare sight, suggesting hand-drawn artists really need to speak up.
But not everyone agrees. Other netizens highlighted that Comiket has never been exclusively for hand-drawn art; it's a platform for expressing one's passions. They argue that conflating this with AI art is illogical, and there's no real "problem" with AI art creators getting booths.
Another user chimed in, stating that it's not about AI being inherently "bad," but rather that AI art is essentially a mash-up of other people's work, a "synthetic monster." While some might tweak the AI-generated base, it's impossible to verify if it's truly original or plagiarized, leading to the question: "Is it really okay to sell this stuff?"
Given the doujinshi scene's reputation for being a bit "edgy" and less strictly regulated, it seems the consensus is often "if someone buys it, it's okay." It's a world where buyers ultimately call the shots.
Yet, others dismissed the entire debate, arguing that booth selection has nothing to do with AI; it's purely a matter of luck. They felt the complaints were just sour grapes, wondering why the anger was specifically directed at AI art as an exception.
One netizen even drew a sarcastic parallel: "Why are those artists using computer graphics getting Comiket booths when I draw with a pen and got rejected?" They noted similar complaints surfaced back in the day, suggesting history might be repeating itself.
Ultimately, Comiket has never explicitly banned AI art creators from participating. After all, booths are set up to sell, and these works will face scrutiny from attending consumers. If something doesn't sell well, it likely won't appear again. Perhaps, as netizens suggest, it truly is "a world where buyers decide everything."